Graduation and after
by Meg-the-cat
Summary: Kinda AU. Graduation and after without the FBI.-how I wish Roswell had ended!C/C. PLEASE R+R!
1. Default Chapter

[A/N-I don't own Roswell or any TV show yada yada yada. I used a bit of the Dawson's Creek Graduation episode to get me going! My first fanfic! Please be gentle!]  
  
Liz's diary.  
  
Dear Diary, I'm not religious, but I've been to church. ...I know right from wrong. And I know it's wrong to benefit in any way from someone else's passing. But I won't deny that Tess' death has freed me. Like a dark shadow passed over the sun before the light came flooding back. It's a brand new day, full of possibilities and hope. I haven't felt like that in a long... long time. It's different for Max. He lost more than his son. He lost a sense of direction to his life, a sense of purpose. He puts up a brave front, but... I know.  
  
It was the evening shift at the Crashdown. Liz was cleaning tables and Max sat at the counter eating fries. Liz went over and sat down next to Max. "What're you still doing here? Got it hot for some local waitress?" Max smiled. "That's the rumour...Have you heard from North-western yet?" Liz sighed. "Nope, I'm trying to handle this whole college acceptance thing with grace and aplomb." Max laughed. "Yeah... it's an SAT word that I can't get out of my head. It's slowly driving me crazy." "Liz, what if I came with you to North-Western? Max looked at her hopefully, but Liz hesitated. "Max... if you think that's something that you seriously think you could or would do, then fine. We'll... we'll talk about it. But otherwise... please don't put me through the whole emotional roller coaster?" Max looked down at his coffee and nodded. "See you in school tomorrow?" Liz nodded. "See you tomorrow" Max kissed her on the cheek and walked out.  
  
[Isabel and Jesse's house] Isabel walked in to find Jesse on the phone. "Isobel, I need to talk to you," said Jesse. Isobel noticed his serious look. "What?" "My friend, Chris Hobson. He just made partner at, ah, Langtree, Watkins and Sullivan. They're one of the top law firms in Boston. They need someone to take over their litigation department. The pay is $350,000 a year." Isabel ran over and hugged him. "Oh dear God! Honey that is so great!" "So does that mean I'm taking it? We're going?" Jesse replied slowly. "Yes!"  
  
[School the next day]  
  
They were stood outside at the Graduation Rehearsal as Principal Peskin began talking. "Welcome to this rehearsal of Roswell High's cap and gown ceremony for the graduating class of 2003. The actual ceremony will take place this Saturday at high noon. Before the distribution of your hard- earned diplomas, the winner of the Roswell Pinnacle award, Ms Elizabeth Parker, will deliver a speech which, uh, I am sure will both razzle and dazzle us for many years to come. Miss Parker, it's go time." Liz slowly approached the podium. "Um, my speech isn't quite ready yet. So I guess I don't have anything to say." She stepped down, blushing. Liz walked over to her friends. "No-one says a word," she muttered.  
  
Principal Peskin began to drone on again. "All right, a quick reminder for those of you who may be susceptible to dark pagan desires." Max looked behind him at Michael who turned and looked behind himself. "If you are considering pulling a graduation night prank, think again, I can assure that security will be... tighter than Ricky Martin's pants." No one laughed. "What? All right, some housekeeping details. Uh, the blue parking permits will not be valid at all on Saturday..." "So Liz, have you even started writing your speech yet?" Maria asked. "Er.sort of." Liz began weakly. "Girlfriend, you have like 3 days to write it then!" "I know. Can we please stop talking about it now?" Maria shrugged. "Sure. Whatever. I just hope you have it ready by Saturday. Catch you guys later 'k?" Maria took Michaels arm and dragged him off. "Why did Max look at you in that way? Are you going to pull a prank or what? I mean do you know how stupid that would be. I mean you do want to graduate right?" Michael rolled his eyes. "Yes Maria I am going to graduate and I won't get caught." Maria's eyes widened. "Ok so what exactly are you going to do?" Michael smiled. "It's what WE are going to do Ria." He whispered in her ear and Maria smiled.  
  
Liz's diary What's amazing is when you can feel your life going somewhere, like your life just figured out how to get good, like, that second. I got into North- Western! The letter was waiting when I got home. I danced around the Crashdown! Things are looking good. Amazingly good. I thought for a while maybe I'd just go to one of those fictional colleges. You know, like on those lame high school TV shows that go on for way too long, and then just in time to save the franchise, all of sudden it turns out that there's this amazing world class college just right around the corner where all the principle characters are accepted. But now I'm in at North-Western and Max should hopefully be coming with me. As for everyone else? Maria and Michael are going to The College of Santa Fe, Kyle's off to the University of New Mexico and Isabel is off to Boston with Jesse. I'm going to miss everyone- we've been through so much together. Well I'd better get on with writing my speech. 


	2. Chapter 2

[Graduation Day, Roswell High]  
  
"So Liz, is the speech ready?" Maria asked. Liz smiled. "As a matter of fact.it is! God, I'm so nervous. Is my hair ok?" "Liz relax. You look perfect. We've fought alie.I mean Czechoslovakians and you're nervous about delivering some little speech?" Liz grimaced. "Look, can you try and distract me? So are you mom and Valenti dating again?" she said glancing over to where the parents were sitting. "Yeah. It's good, you know with me going off to college. Mom won't be by herself. I'm glad he's got his job back." Liz nodded. They were all glad. Max had felt responsible for it in the first place.  
  
There was a large piercing sound as Principal Peskin adjusted the microphone. "Testing, one, two three." Maria and Liz rolled their eyes. "Can everyone please take their seats?" Maria smiled at Liz. "Good luck!" she said. Liz smiled nervously back. It was agony to have to sit through the ceremony and wait till she heard Peskin's voice. "I'd like to introduce to you the winner of this year's pinnacle award Ms Elizabeth Parker!"  
  
Liz made her way up to the podium. "Principal Peskin, our families, my fellow graduates," she began. "I stand here before you aware of the similarities that we share. I know that you're feeling, outside of my incredible stage fright, the same things that I'm feeling-- pride and accomplishment, closure and regret, and a hopeful outlook on the future. But I don't think you need me to elaborate on those feelings. Instead I--I wanted to share something personal and tell you that... that people in my life who are gone now, people I miss very much and people who I am haunted by in different ways, but whether we're separated by death or merely distance, I know that they're still with me because I keep them in my heart. The truth is, in time, that's all that we're going to be to each other anyway, this population of memories, some wonderful and endearing, some less so. But taken together, those memories help make us who we are and who we will be. So whether you're here with each other now or you're merely in each other's thoughts, remember each other on that road ahead. And I hope that no matter where your travels lead you in this life... you'll always take Roswell with you. Congratulations."  
  
At the exact moment she stopped, the sprinkler system came on. Maria turned round to Michael and gave him the thumbs up. The students began to cheer and run around in the rain. Max threw his cap in the air and everyone began doing the same.  
  
Liz's Diary.  
  
It was a moment I'll never forget-Principal Peskin's face as he saw how a prank had been played after all, the happy looks on my friend's faces and my parents beaming proudly at me. No matter how crazy my life has been, and may be in the future, I'll always have this perfect moment to look back on. 


End file.
